MFD: Vehicle fire caused by man using charcoal to warm it up

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV)-- A Madison man tried to use a baking sheet full of hot charcoal to warm up his vehicle on Thursday.

According to the Madison Fire Department, they were called to the 3700 block of Karstens Drive around 12:40 p.m. for a vehicle fire. When firefighters arrived, flames were coming from the vehicle. Fire crews were able to extinguish the fire in 10 minutes.

According to the fire department, the owner used the charcoal because his vehicle was frozen for three days and would not start.He said he noticed flames coming from the engine compartment five minutes later.

This comes two days after a similar incident on Spring Street. According to the Madison Fire Department, in that incident a man put charcoal under a minivan for the same reason. They said they told the man that it is dangerous and illegal to put charcoal under vehicles. According to the department, the man said he does it all the time, and he would buy more charcoal and defy orders.

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